


Aftermath

by pepi



Series: How not to do the whole One-Night-Stand thing... [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-18
Updated: 2016-03-14
Packaged: 2018-05-21 11:36:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6050155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pepi/pseuds/pepi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The moment the door fell shut behind Bucky, Steve picked up his phone from the kitchen counter and dialed Peggy’s number.<br/>“Hello darling. How are you?”<br/>“Hello gorgeous. I’m in love.”</p><p>Steve's (now ex-) boyfriend had cheated on him. So what? He apparently got a date with the handsomest guy he had ever seen out of it. Life wasn't so bad. At least for a short day...</p><p>Sequel to “We're in this together” (this story won't make a lot of sense if you haven't read it…)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The moment the door fell shut behind Bucky, Steve picked up his phone from the kitchen counter and dialed Peggy’s number.  
“Hello darling. How are you?”  
“Hello gorgeous. I’m in love.”  
There was silence on the other end of the line and Steve almost thought the call had been dropped.  
“Peggy? You there? Did you hear what I just said?”  
He now could hear a small, exhausted sigh coming from Peggy.  
“Steve, darling… It is time for an intervention!”  
“No, Peggy, you don’t understand…”  
“Oh I understand quiet perfectly. Brock was a nice and charming guy when you met. But he isn’t anymore! He is an asshole who doesn’t treat you the way you deserve! You deserve someone who loves you with all his heart and treats you like a prince while being aware how strong you are. And Brock… He… Honey, I don’t know how else to say that, but I think he is cheating on you…”  
Steve couldn’t stop the laugh escaping his mouth and he had to sit down at his table to stop from keeling over.  
“What… what’s so funny Steve? Are you not taking this seriously?”  
“Oh no…” Steve tried to stop laughing, he really did. “Honey, I take this very seriously. And I know for a fact that Brock cheated on me, probably multiple times. That’s why I broke up with him. Half an hour ago.”  
There was silence again.  
“Peggy?”  
“I just don’t know what to say… I feel like laughing and celebrating the fact that you finally got rid of Brock, but… You just broke up with him and…”  
“No buts! That’s exactly what we are going to do. I’m sorry it took me so long to see it, but now I do and I’m just so glad!”  
And Steve really meant it. Yes, he had tried to fight for his relationship with Brock, but now that it was over and Steve knew his friends were right all along, he started to realize how wrong Brock had treated him.  
“Brock is a cheating asshole and I got rid of him. Let’s celebrate that!”

And that’s what they did. Peggy, Sam and Steve met up in their favorite bar that evening to celebrated Steve’s new found freedom. After her second drink Peggy suddenly stopped and looked at Steve with sharp eyes.  
“Wait a second. When you called me today, the first thing you said was “I’m in love”. Who were you talking about?  
When Steve had called Peggy, he had been so excited about Bucky, about sweet and nice and handsome Bucky, he just wanted to tell Peggy about him. Now though, he wasn’t so sure about telling her anymore. Not that he had changed his mind about Bucky, but he had met Bucky under strange circumstances and he did not want his friends to have a wrong first impression of him.   
“Spit it out Steve!”  
Steve never had been able to deny Peggy anything when she looked at him like that, eyebrow raised, lips pursed.  
“So… I told you I now know for sure Brock cheated on me. Well, when I came home early from my business-trip this morning, Brock was at my place, asleep in my bed, with another guy.”  
“Oh honey. I’m so sorry you had to find out this way…”  
Peggy took Steve’s hand in hers and Sam nodded while murmuring about Brock being an asshole.  
“Anyway. I decided to make breakfast to clear my head and come up with a good speech to break up with Brock and throw him out of my flat. And then… Then the other guy came out of the bedroom and he was gorgeous and he was only in his boxers and he clearly just wanted to leave the flat before Brock woke up. And… My brain must have short-circuited because I invited him to have breakfast with me.”

Peggy and Sam stared at him as if he suddenly had grown a second head.  
“You…?”  
“… had breakfast with the guy your boyfriend cheated on you with?” Sam finished for Peggy and the two kept staring at him. Steve knew it had been a bad idea to tell them. Bucky had been so nice to him and he was clearly angry at Brock for what he had done, even though he didn’t know Steve. But of course his friends would focus on the part where he had slept with Brock.  
“And now you think you are in love with that guy? Steve, honey… you…”  
Peggy was clearly at her wits’ end. But Steve couldn’t let his friends think badly of Bucky.  
“He didn’t know! Brock didn’t tell him he had a boyfriend. For Bucky it was just a simple one-night-stand! And don’t you both lecture me on those! I know for a fact both of you had them before. It wasn’t Bucky’s fault, he didn’t know! And when Brock finally came out of the bedroom and Bucky understood what was going on he… he was so mad at Brock and he defended me and threatened Brock and afterward he wanted to make sure I was okay, wanted me to call my friends… But I… I asked him to stay so we finished our breakfast and then he asked me if he could maybe take me out for coffee sometime… And I said yes…”  
Silence hung over their table as Sam and Peggy looked at Steve and then exchanged a long suffering look with each other.  
“So, this guy, Bucky, he seemed genuinely upset when he found out the guy he had slept with actually had a boyfriend?”  
Steve nodded. “Yes, he called Brock an asshole and went all intimidating on Brock and asked him to leave after Brock didn’t leave when I asked him to. And then he just wanted to make sure I was alright… And we had a chat about how horrible Brock is in bed…”  
That statement earned him a small smile from his friends and Peggy took his hand in hers again. “He does sound decent enough. Just, don’t rush into anything, please!”  
“I won’t, it’s just coffee…”  
As Peggy let go of Steve’s hand, giving her first, careful approval, Sam grinned at Steve and bumped their shoulders together.  
“So, when are you going to meet this guy?”  
And suddenly Steve was hit with a horrible realization. He could feel the blood draining from his face as he tried to process the information.  
“Steve? What’s going on?” Peggy sounded worried.  
“We... he… He doesn’t have my number! He asked if we could go for coffee but he didn’t ask for my number. He has no way of contacting me…”  
“Oh honey…”  
Peggy’s soft voice and the way she and Sam looked at him with pity made it all too clear to him: “He didn’t want to go for coffee with me. He just wanted to make me feel good after my boyfriend cheated on me. Brock was right; no one would ever want me. I mean look at me!”  
“Steve, no!”  
“Oh shut up Peggy, you’re my friend, you have to say stuff like that!”  
Steve didn’t want to get angry at her, but he couldn’t help it; he was angry at himself for believing a guy like Bucky could like him, and now he had to put that anger somewhere.  
“Steve, you listen to me!” Sam forced Steve to look at him with his hand on his chin. “You are an amazing human being. Brock couldn’t see that and he is an asshole for that who doesn’t deserve you. And if that Bucky guy asked you out without really meaning it, he is an asshole who lied to you. So you better forget about those stupid guys and wish them boring, bad, horrible sex with each other for the rest of their lives. You don’t need them and they don’t deserve you!”


	2. Chapter 2

3 days later Steve had just come home from a meeting with his publisher, carrying way too many bags full of sketches and notebooks full of ideas. He didn’t notice the light blue envelope between all the boring white envelopes in his mail at first. But when he finally reached his apartment and let all his bags fall on the couch, it was the first envelope he picked out of his pile of mail. His name and address where handwritten on the envelope, a neat but cheerful handwriting. Steve knew what he wished was in the envelope, but he didn’t dare to hope. With shaking fingers he opened the envelope. Inside was a single piece of paper, the same shade of blue as the envelope, lettered in the same handwriting as his name and address.

“Dear Steve,

I stupidly asked you out for coffee but didn’t get your number. So at first I had no idea how to contact you since just showing up on your doorstep seemed a bit invasive. (Even though I actually already spend a night in your bed, which should feel way more invasive. But you thanked me for that, so…)

So I went the old fashioned way and wrote you a letter. How charming is that? (Probably not charming at all since I just called myself charming… I’m bad at this.)

Well, anyway: I would really love to take you out for coffee sometime. Sometime soon, if I’m being honest. 

You can either ignore me or contact me in whatever way you like: 

e-mail: buckster@gmail.com  
phone: 718 555 2635  
Address: James Barnes, 155 Carroll Street #5, Brooklyn  
Aaaaaaaaand I work at “Nat’s bakery” almost every day, all day. So, if you ever feel cravings for something sweet, you can find it there. (“it” being delicious cupcakes and stuff. Not me. I’m not sweet!)

So, it’s up to you. But I really really hope you get in touch.

Bucky

PS: If you are wondering how I got your last name: I am not a creep and I did not stalk you! I promise! Your last name is on your door. And I already had your first name. And since we met in your flat I already had your address. So, not a creep. Just smart ;)”

If Steve let out a squeal and let himself fall on his sofa with a big grin on his face, it was nobody’s business. Bucky had written him a letter. And even though he said he wasn’t charming or sweet, Steve thought Bucky was exactly that. And probably also very, very adorable.

First things first. Group Text!

Steve: He wrote me a letter. That’s right, Bucky wrote me a fucking LETTER!

Peggy: I have to say: I’m impressed. What does it say?

Sam: boy got style!

Steve: He wants to get coffee and asks me to contact him. I have his address, number, email-address and I know where he works. What should I do?

Peggy: where does he work?

Steve: Oh no, I’m not telling you! You would probably go there and try to get all spy-y on him!

Peggy: I would never…

Peggy: Write him a letter. Give him your number, let him to contact you that way again to set a date… Let him work a bit!

Steve: Sam? Opinion?

Sam: What she said!

Peggy: good boy ;)

Steve: Thanks guys!

Half an hour later, Steve was satisfied with his letter. Short and on point, but still clearly showing interest. It took him three tries and as many light green sheets of paper to finally hand write his replay. Kinda shameful for someone who makes his living with illustrating…

“Dear Bucky,

Thank you for your letter, I was really happy to receive it.  
To be honest, I actually though it (and in extension you) is (are) pretty charming.  
I would really love to go for coffee with you.

Call or text me to set a date: 718 749 4396

I work from home and make my own schedule, so I’m free pretty much always.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you again.

Steve”

He put the Letter in a light green envelope, wrote Bucky’s address on it and put it on the little table right next to his front door to post it the next day.

 

“Hey Steve, it's Bucky. Thanks for giving me a chance and your number :) How are you?”

And once again Bucky had managed to make Steve squeal with something he wrote. Steve really had to work on his cool, especially if he was planing on meeting the guy in real life again. But that did not mean that Steve wanted to play it cool. No waiting-to-text-him-back bullshit! He started typing right away.

“Hey Bucky. I'm good, thanks. You picked a perfect time to text me as I'm completely stuck in the project I'm working on at the moment. I could use some distraction. How are you?”

And it was true. Steve had been staring at the blank page in front of him way too long. Today was not a very creative day. 

“Glad I could help. I'm good too, thanks. Got your letter on my way to work and am now using the slow afternoon to distract you from work.”

They texted back and forth for a few minutes, just chit-chat, but it made Steve smile all the same.

“So… about that coffee… Any place you would like to go? I would normally recommend “Nat’s bakery” as it's simply amazing, but taking someone to your workplace might seem bad first-date etiquette. (Also; Nat is not only my boss, but also my best friend and she can be very nosy..)”

Steve actually had an idea where he wanted to take Bucky, but for a moment he hesitated. Was it maybe too strange, that he remembered this little detail from their short talk a few days back?

"Well, I was thinking... You mentioned you are a little space-nerd... A friend of mine has a telescope on his roof and let's me use it from time to time. I had planed on going tonight. Care to join me?"

After he had sent the text, he regretted it immediately. Bucky had asked for coffee, at a public place. Not staring at stars on a private rooftop.

"Or something else... It was just an idea... no pressure!"

"THAT WOULD BE AWESOME! (I just waited to text you back so I can dial down my excitement, but fuck it!) I can bring some coffee and snacks from the bakery..."

"Oh thank god! I was getting nervous you thought it would be a lame thing to do..."

"Are you kidding me? It's staring into space... with you! That sounds like heaven to me. (Fun fact: did you know that the German language uses the same word for sky and heaven?)"

"I'm glad you like the idea. And no, I did not know that, but I like it."

After they set a time and meeting point, Steve almost expected the conversation to stop, but no; Bucky kept texting him and Steve felt like he actually knew a lot about Bucky before they even got to their first date. Not that he was complaining. Not at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't call this number. Or send an email to this emailadress. Or show up at that address. I made them all up and don't know if they exist and if so who they belong to… ;)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos :) I hope you enjoy this chapter. After this there is just the epilog. But to be honest, this whole story was actually just about the epilog ;)

Steve was nervous again. It didn't matter that he had been texting Bucky for the last 5 hours and actually felt really comfortable doing that. Now he was about to meet him again, in real life, face to face. And Steve was not ready for that. At all. He had had a hard time choosing what to wear. On the one side he wanted to look good for Bucky, on the other side he knew he should wear comfortable and warm clothes if he planned on spending some time outside on a roof. In the end he opted for not-too-skinny black jeans, a red and black plaid shirt and an oversized gray pullover as well as a black scarf and black beany. He might not think he was a handsome man, but he knew he could pull off adorable. And if the looks Bucky had given him that morning a few days ago where any indication, Bucky liked adorable. So adorable was what Bucky was getting tonight.

  
Apparently, adorable was also what Steve was getting tonight. Because Bucky looked so cuddleable and adorable, Steve almost felt like he was about to die from an asthma attack. Buck clearly had the same idea as Steve and wore comfortable looking washed out jeans and a snuggly looking hoodie and a scarf. But what really got Steve were the ears. Yes, Bucky's hood had small bear-ears on them. Steve had to work hard to not just run up to Bucky and cuddle the fuck out of him. He settled for a small wave and a shy smile instead. "Hi Steve..." Bucky stopped a few feet in front of him, looking unsure about himself, but suddenly his face looked determined and he started to speak again. "Can I just hug you for a second!" Steve nodded so hard he feared his head might fall off, but Bucky stopped that thought when he pulled him closer and Steve took the chance to cuddle closer to him, resting his head on Bucky's chest. Before he could stop his mouth, it started to run. "You look really adorable Bucky. Can I call you Bucky-Bear?" The laugh coming from Bucky sounded and felt so nice, Steve closed his eyes for a second and just stayed pressed to Bucky. "If you want to. I thought I had to raise my game if I wanted to even come near your adorableness-level." Bucky slowly pulled away, but Steve wanted to pull him closer again. Not only because he just liked the feeling of Bucky so close, but now he also could feel a blush spreading over his face. When Bucky noticed that, his smile grew even bigger. "So adorable!"

  
After they finally let go of each other, Steve started to walk towards Tony's place. "My friend is on vacation and I'm watering his plants at the moment. As a thank you I get to use his telescope as much as I want." With that Steve climbed up the stairs to the door of a modern house with a flat roof. Steve opened the door and as quickly as possible walked through the flat and up some more stairs to the roof. It was a bit strange to bring Bucky to his friends place. But Bucky seems to understand why Steve was walking so quickly and didn't even look around, just followed Steve up the stairs and onto the roof. The roof wasn't anything special, just a few chairs, an old table that looks as if it might collapse at any moment, an old sofa and a telescope. Steve smiled at Bucky. "Ahm... make yourself comfortable. I... I'm gonna get some blankets and stuff..." And with that he turned around again and walked back into the flat. Tony has a stack of blankets and pillows stashed away for nights on the roof. Because, to be honest, Steve is not the only one who uses the roof for dates. Turns out Tony's girlfriend Pepper likes to listen to Tony talk about the stars and space quiet a lot.

  
When Steve came back to the roof, Bucky looked up from where he was sitting on the sofa and smiled. "I can already tell that this will be the best date I have ever been on!" Steve was a bit taken back from that comment. It sounded so straight forward and... honest. Who is this honest on a first date? "Well... way to put a guy under pressure." But Bucky just smiled and pulled Steve down next to him on the sofa. "There are stars, coffee, cheesecake, blankets for cuddles. And you, for cuddles as well. There is no pressure, it already is amazing!" Steve couldn't stop himself, he just leaned closer to Bucky who put his arm around him. "I know, I planned this date and this might sound cocky, but the way you describe it, it really does sound amazing..."


	4. Chapter 4

Epilog - 3 months later

When Steve arrived at Nat's bakery his heart almost stopped. Bucky was there, alright. But so was Brock. And Brock was sitting with Bucky, at the table the two usually shared for their afternoon coffee. Steve could feel anger boil inside of him and maybe opened the door to the bakery with a bit more force than was necessarily needed. He was about to storm over to the table and rip Brock a new one, when he caught Bucky's eyes over Brock's shoulder. And there was mischief in those eyes. Steve came to a stop, close enough to the pair to hear what was said, but far away enough to not be noticed by Brock.

"Oh come on sugar, we both know our night together was magical! I'm pretty sure you never had better!"

Bucky laughed out loud, going so far as holding his belly while doing so. "Oh believe me, I had better. Way better. In fact; I think you were one of the worst I ever had. And the guy I'm sleeping with at the moment is the best I ever had, for sure. And the best I will ever have!" Somehow Bucky managed to wink at Steve, without Brock realizing it. Well, that's not complete true; Brock did notice, he just thought Bucky was flirting with him.

"I don't believe one word you say. Are you playing hard to get? Or if the stupid Punk I was sleeping with when we met is holding you back: I never went near him again, even though he did try to crawl back to me only hours after he threw me out of his flat." Again, Bucky laughed. This time almost falling off his chair.

"Oh god, this is comedy gold right here!"

That seemed to get Brock angry as he finally realized that Bucky was not actually flirting with him.

"Let me tell you a few things: You were the worst sex I ever had, you are an asshole and an awful human being and I know for a fact Steve never contacted you again and wouldn't touch you with a pole!"

Slowly Steve made his way towards the table, just in time to see Brock look confused.

"How do you know his name? And... that?"

 

Steve took this as his cue and finally walked passed Brock just to sit down in Bucky's lap. "Because I am the best sex he ever had!"  
Brock actually got bright red, but not out of embarrassment, but because he was angry. With one movement he got up and stared at Bucky and Steve, who just smiled at him while Bucky pressed a small kiss on Steve's cheek. This seemed to make Brocke even angrier, but before he could even utter a single word, he yelped in pain. Natasha had crept up on him and was in the process of twisting his arm. "If you say one bad word toward those two i will break your fucking arm. So you better apologize to them, for everything you ever did to them, then you will pay for your drink and the drinks those two will choose and than you will leave this place and never ever dare come back!"

 

Later that night, Bucky cuddled closer to Steve, still trying to catch his breath. "Yes, you are definitely the best I ever had. And the best I will ever have!" Steve pulled Bucky even closer. "About that: what do you mean by 'best you will ever have'? Am I that good?" Bucky giggled and pressed a kiss to Steve's chin, just because it was the nearest part of Steve he could reach. "Yes, you really are that good. But also... I... I actually hope I will never have sex with anyone else... ever..." Steve stayed quiet for a while, and Bucky actually feared he might have crossed a line there. After all they were only dating for 3 months and he kind of just told Steve he wanted to be with him forever. "Oh..." Well at least Steve had said something. "That's good... Because I hope the same... And just so we are clear: you are the best I ever had as well!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was it. Thanks again for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. Kudos and comments are very welcome ;)

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my first language and this story has never seen a beta. Sorry! (if you find major mistakes I won't bite you if you point them out to me ;) )
> 
> I finished writing this story. But I'm flexible enough to change things if someone has some input. So comments are very welcome!


End file.
